Meet Waltham City Council Candidate Tim King

WALTHAM, MA — Local elections in Waltham are less than a month away, and Patch is determined to help residents get to know their candidates for council, mayor and school committee.

Patch has sent candidate questionnaires to each of the candidates that will appear on the ballot in a contested race for each of those three positions.

In this candidate profile, learn more about City Council candidate Tim King and his reasons for seeking election:

Name

Tim King

How old will you be as of Election Day?

54

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://www.timforwaltham.com

What city or town do you live in?

Waltham

What office are you seeking?

Councillor-at-Large

If you are running in a district, you can specify the district here.

Councillor-at-Large

Education.

Graduated from Waltham High School. Associate Degree from Middlesex Community College. Bachelor Degree from Western New England College. Juris Doctorate from Massachusetts School of Law.

What is your occupation?

Retired Waltham Police Detective Sergeant 31 years / Labor Attorney 17 years

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

My wife Kim is also a lifelong Waltham resident who works as an administrative assistant for the IT department for Waltham Public Schools. We have three daughters Erin, Caitlin, and Riley, who attended Waltham Public Schools and are all continuing their education in their chosen fields. All participated in youth and varsity sports in Waltham. We are so fortunate that the city offers as many programs and opportunities for our youth. Between Park and Rec programs, youth sports, dance, Waltham Boys and Girls Club, our children were always busy and were provided an opportunity to develop relationships with others in our community.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My wife Kim works for the school department as an administrative assistant.

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

In 2016, I was appointed by the Governor to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board of Directors. I have been fortunate to have been re-appointed twice and continue to serve. The board manages transportation (highways, rail, RMV, and airports other than Logan) across the Commonwealth. I am also a member of the Finance & Audit and Capital Programs Committees. We manage all of the funding for both operations and capital improvement to include a two-billion dollar operating budget and a five-year capital improvement budget that aims for a two-billion dollar annual spend. We are also responsible for reviewing every capital project over fifteen million dollars for individual approval.

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

As a lifelong resident of Waltham, and one fortunate enough to have served the city for thirty-one years in public safety, I have a vested interest in the continued success of our community. I want to continue my public service and bring my experience in government to the city we love in a different role. I started working with my union in 1994 as a legislative agent, and have continued in that role at the Massachusetts State House in a number of capacities since then, including my seventeen years as a labor attorney. I have been a lobbyist for most of that time and have written legislation, supported and opposed legislation, and have been involved with the state budget. That coupled with my work with MassDOT and my understanding of the inner workings of Waltham government, demonstrates that I bring experience to this position. I know and understand government and want to bring that experience to the Waltham City Council.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is \_\_\_, and this is what I intend to do about it.

I have spent the past several months door-knocking and speaking with our residents. I have to say that the one issue that consistently comes up is traffic. We are in a pivotal time right now as far as a number of much needed construction projects all coming together at the same time. The high school, the MWRA project, and the Piety Corner upgrade. These have all led to serious traffic issues, above and beyond what Waltham was already facing. As we move forward from COVID, we are seeing different traffic patterns and usage of our roads. While traffic may continue for some time due to these specific projects, I do intend to work with the traffic commission, the police department, and other stakeholders, such as my colleagues at MassDOT, to determine what grant funding is available, as well as exploring what other resources exist that can assist us in relieving some of the traffic issues. I do think planning and communication is paramount, but there may be some other design concepts in key locations that may assist us in moving our traffic capacity in a better, more efficient fashion. An additional concern that is related is the lack of public transportation in North Waltham. I have already been in contact with the MBTA and had discussions about exploring plans to increase the service. It is currently in their five year plan and they are working to determine what level of service is necessary in the area. Their preliminary study has shown that ridership in the area is still low for pilot programs. But, I pledge to continue to work with them to demonstrate the need for service in the area and work towards making increased service a reality.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The most obvious difference between me and every other candidate in this race is that I will be the only attorney on the city council. I study, interpret, create, and practice law. Operating a three-hundred and thirty million dollar corporation like the City of Waltham takes an understanding of the law and the means to put it into practice. I have worked with the legislature for nearly thirty years improving working conditions for working people. I have negotiated employment contracts with municipalities across the commonwealth. At MassDOT, I work with a budget that is approximately six times larger than the current city budget. I have true real life experience that sets me apart from other candidates in this race.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

I am challenging six incumbents. Throughout my campaign, I have only been interested in expressing what I have to offer the city as your future councillor-at-large. My lifelong involvement in the community, my education, my experience, and my knowledge all make me a quality candidate for councillor-at-large.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

We need to prevent over-development of our city, the likes of which has occurred in some nearby communities. I am pro-development, but that development has to be the right fit for our entire community. It has to be responsible and necessary for our city.

We have a brand new high school, with a state of the art CTE (career and technology education) program. I want to see those students receive workforce development, further training opportunities, and possible placement, in order to get them good paying careers. The stronger our workforce, the stronger our local economy.

I want to make sure our small business community continues to flourish. Waltham is unique in that we have a thriving downtown area with retail and service industries primarily comprised of small independently owned businesses. We need to support those businesses to maintain our local economy.

Most importantly, I want to work on issues that are brought to me by constituents. I am a listener and have heard a number of the issues that people have presented to me on the campaign trail. I understand that this is where the rubber truly meets the road. While the city is run through budgets and resolutions, the most important ingredient in a community is when we can help each other and take care of the concerns of our residents.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My lifetime of community involvement in Waltham, my education, my work experience, all demonstrate my ability to be a productive and successful councillor-at-large.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

A former mentor of mine told me "You have two ears, two eyes, and one mouth...you should watch and listen twice as much as you talk". Advice that has proven valuable.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Waltham has a great identity and character. People who were born here have stayed here because of it. Those who have come here from other places, decided to stay here because of it. I have spoken to so many people who have told me they have stayed in Waltham because they love the "small town" community feel. There are some who are calling for wholesale change to our community. I submit to you that the city does not need wholesale change. Are there areas that need improvement, absolutely yes. That improvement can be made without changing the identity and character of the community we have all grown to love. I look forward to working with everyone to make those necessary improvements. For more information about my campaign, please visit www.timforwaltham.com.